Despite the announcement from the Suez Canal, the Danish giant is buying time and links the reopening of routes to full stability in the Red Sea
Copenhagen – Maersk tempers expectations for the rapid return of its ships to the Suez Canal. While acknowledging recent progress on the security front in the Red Sea, the Danish group clarifies that it has not yet set any date to resume routes through the Bab el-Mandeb, despite the Suez Canal Authority (Sca) having spoken of a return as early as the beginning of December.
The company reiterates that the priority remains the protection of crews and that the normalization of East-West routes will only occur when conditions fully permit it. The clarification comes just hours after the signing of a new strategic agreement between Maersk and Sca in Ismailia, after which the canal authority had announced an imminent return of Danish services.
The context appears to be evolving, with the easing of tensions in the area and the decision by the Houthi rebels to suspend attacks on commercial ships. For the Sca, these are signals of stabilization: the chairman Ossama Rabiee described Maersk’s resumption as “a step in the right direction,” citing the increase in October and November traffic as a sign of improvement.
Maersk, which last year had diverted most of its fleet by sailing around Africa, confirms the importance of Suez as the most efficient route for Asia-Europe traffic, but remains cautious about the timeline.
CMA CGM is also preparing to return, after similar discussions with the authority: the recent transit of the Cma Cgm Benjamin Franklin, the largest ship to pass through the canal in the last two years, is interpreted as a signal of renewed confidence.
Meanwhile, the Sca continues to offer discounts on tolls and to strengthen its services, in an attempt to accelerate the full reopening of the Red Sea corridor and recover the volumes lost during the months of crisis.
